This invention relates to compressors; and more particularly relates to a novel and improved method and means for regulating the intake and exhaust of air or other gaseous fluid into and from a compressor in a simplified and efficient manner.
Standard compressors typically operate with suction and discharge valves installed in a cylinder head which impose severe size limitations on the valves and on the amount of fluid that can be drawn in and discharged in each cycle. A related problem has to do with the time constraints imposed upon maintaining the intake valve in an open position over the maximum period of time during the intake stroke and the ability to draw in the maximum amount of air during the suction stroke.
In the past, it has been proposed to utilize a compressor having a crankcase in combination with a cylinder and cylinder head and in such a way as to direct the intake air into the crankcase prior to forcing it into the cylinder. Representative patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 209,673 to Grillenberger; 1,109,154 to Thomas; 1,445,073 to Corpi and 5,613,837 to Conishi. To my knowledge, however, no one has successfully devised an air compressor which is capable of operating at maximum efficiency over the greater portion of the suction and discharge cycles. In particular, there is a need for a compressor which will make maximum utilization of a crankshaft over the entire intake stroke as well as to draw in-the maximum amount of pre-pressurized air for discharge over each discharge stroke. In so doing, it is highly desirable to control the timing and duration of opening and closing of an intake port in the crankcase during each intake and compression stroke, respectively, in close coordination with rotation of the crankshaft and reciprocation of the piston.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved compressor.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a method and means for increasing the volumetric efficiency of an air compressor in a highly simplified and efficient manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved method and means for pre-pressurizing air to be drawn into one or more cylinders of an air compressor and for regulating the opening and closing of an intake port which supplies the pre-pressurized air to the crankcase.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved method of controlling the duration of opening and closing of an intake port leading into a crankcase chamber in close coordination with the suction and discharge stroke of the piston.
In accordance with the present invention, in a compressor of the type having a crankcase, a cylinder communicating with the crankcase through an outer peripheral wall and having an exhaust valve at one end, the combination therewith comprises a fluid intake port communicating with the crankcase through one end of the chamber substantially diametrically opposed to the cylinder, a piston reciprocal in the cylinder having an intake valve, a crankshaft mounted for rotation in the crankcase including gate control means for opening and closing the intake port through each revolution of the crankshaft, the gate control means being operative in response to rotation of the crankshaft through each revolution to start to close the intake port prior to advancement of the piston to one end of its stroke adjacent to the exhaust valve and to start to open the intake port prior to advancement of the piston to an opposite end of its stroke away from the exhaust valve. Preferably, the intake valve is of the leaflet type which is capable of rapidly opening and closing in response to changes in pressure and piston inertia, and the gate control means is operative to open the intake port in the crankcase through at least 180xc2x0 of each revolution of the crankshaft.
There has been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.